Of God and His Creatures
That Divine Grace causes in us a Hope of future Blessedness
IN every lover there is caused a desire of union with his loved one, so
far as may be: hence it is most delightful to live in the society of
those whom one loves. As then by grace man is made a lover of God,
there must be caused in him a desire of union with God, so far as may
be. But faith, which is caused of grace, declares the possibility of a
union of man with God in perfect fruition, wherein blessedness
consists. Consequently the desire of this fruition follows upon the
love of God. But desire is a troublesome thing, without hope of
attainment. It was proper therefore that in men, in whom the love of
God and faith in Him was caused by grace, there should be caused also
the hope of attaining to future blessedness.
3. Virtue, the way to blessedness, is paved with difficulties: hence
the need of hope.
4. No one stirs to reach an end, which he reckons it impossible to
compass.
Hence it is said: He hath regenerated us unto a living hope (1
Pet. i, 3): In hope we are saved (Rom. viii, 24).
3.153 : That Divine Grace causes in us Faith
3.155 : Of Graces given gratuitously